Sunday, October 25, 2009

A Cajamarca Wedding

As soon as the news of our engagement reached Cajamarca, Rev and Mrs Calvin Mackay, who were in charge of the Free Church mission there, wrote back inviting us to spend our vacation and celebrate the marriage there, which we did. The journey to Cajamarca was quite an adventure in itself, although prior to this it had been still more so. We travelled by sea to Pacasmayo on a coastal boat, which called at every port loading and unloading cargo. First class on the boat was only recognisable by comparison with third class which was much worse. On the deck immediately below our cabins were the stalls of cows and pigs. Nowhere on the ship could we escape that stable smell.  Third class passengers lived in closer proximity still to the animal cargo. Loading and unloading the animals was an interesting experience. A loop of spliced rope was placed under the animals horns and attached to a winch. The signal was then given to hoist and the animal was pulled up head first. It’s eyes would bulge out like a couple of fried eggs and its feet would stick out at right angles in front of it as it is spun giddily above the lighter and was hoisted on board. Three days later we reached Pacasmayo.

Pacasmayo in the ‘good old days’ was quite a primitive place on all counts. The water supply was obtained from a little creek which served every purpose under the sun. The women washed clothes in it, the children bathed and the pigs wallowed in it and at relatively clear spots, water was baled out for household purposes. One look at the source of the water supply was more powerful than a law against intoxicating spirits. A friend of mine, who would not trust the water even when it was boiled, bought a half bottle of beer each night with which to clean his teeth and gargle. Naturally we did not remain in Pacasmayo any longer than was strictly necessary. Next day we took the train up the Jequetepequi Valley to the railway terminus at Chilete. The hotel there was even more primitive than that at Pacasmayo. On our return journey, our bedroom, which opened out onto the street could only be closed properly by propping a broken chair against it. A drunk tried to force his way in during the night but was unable to dislodge the chair. 


Having reached Chilete at midday or soon thereafter, we are able to continue our journey by car to Cajarmarca. The Rev Calvin Mackay had kindly come to meet us and had everything lined up for a quick getaway. Once away from Chilete we were in the zone where it does not rain. We found the road washed out here and there but this was nothing unusual in those parts. It was taken as a matter of course that all passengers, or at least the males, would chip in and overcome all obstacles. At one point I was sure we were blocked completely but within half and hour a way had been constructed around the obstacle and we were on our way again.

(Via Bramwell Cook)

At Cajamarca we found that the Rev Mackay had everything lined up for the wedding. The civil ceremony took place during the morning at the office of the mayor and the religious ceremony in the mission chapel in the afternoon. Several local celebrities graced the occasion but scarcely had the wedding breakfast commenced than a thunder storm broke over the town, the heavens were opened and down came a tremendous deluge, which delayed our departure for the honeymoon. This we were to spend in a little hotel at a place called Yumagual. It had been arranged that hosrses would meet us when we cane abreast of this valley and take us to our destination. The rain however, upset these plans and, to make matters worse, we found the road washed out near the summit with another car stuck in the hole. My first job as a married man was therefore road mending. We were able to manhandle the stranded car out of the hole, which we progressively filled with stones till road level was reached. Having surmounted this obstacle we continued our journey to the trysting place but only to find that the Indians who had brought the horses had gotten tired of waiting and had gone home. Fortunately we were able to attract the attention of an Indian family living in the neighbourhood and got a couple of men to escort us on foot to our hotel where we arrived just before ten o’clock. We were the only guests, so we came in for royal attention. The main attraction at Yumagual was its thermal springs, which we had all to ourselves. Those in charge of the hotel had thoughtfully scented the bed with rose petals. The fragrance was delightful but the dim candle light did not reveal the cause of the phenomenon. Next morning we had discovered they had placed the rose petals between the sheets which were very unevenly dyed pink and red by morning. 
Postcard sent on Wedding day from Herb to his parents


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love that photo